Travel Information

London,
United Kingdom

One of the world's most visited cities, London has something
for everyone: from history and culture to fine food and good
times.

Time Travel
Immersed in history, London's rich seams of eye-opening
antiquity are everywhere. The city's buildings are striking
milestones in a unique and beguiling biography, and a great
many of them – the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Big
Ben – are instantly recognisable landmarks. There’s more
than enough innovation (the Shard, the Tate Modern
extension, the Sky Garden) to put a crackle in the air, but
it never drowns out London’s seasoned, centuries-old
narrative. Architectural grandeur rises up all around you in
the West End, ancient remains dot the City and charming pubs
punctuate the historic quarters, leafy suburbs and river
banks. Take your pick.

Art & Culture
A tireless innovator of art and culture, London is a city of
ideas and the imagination. Londoners have always been
fiercely independent thinkers (and critics), but until not
so long ago people were suspicious of anything they
considered avant-garde. That’s in the past now, and the
city’s creative milieu is streaked with left-field attitude,
whether it's theatrical innovation, contemporary art,
pioneering music, writing, poetry, architecture or design.
Food is another creative arena that has become a tireless
obsession in certain circles.

Diversity
This city is deeply multicultural, with one in three
Londoners foreign-born, representing 270 nationalities and
300 tongues. The UK may have voted for Brexit (although the
majority of Londoners didn't), but for now London remains
one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities, and diversity
infuses daily life, food, music and fashion. It even
penetrates intrinsically British institutions; the British
Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum have collections as
varied as they are magnificent, while the flavours at
centuries-old Borough Market run the full global gourmet
spectrum.

A Tale of Two Cities
London is as much about wide-open vistas and leafy landscape
escapes as it is high-density, sight-packed urban
exploration. Central London is where the major museums,
galleries and most iconic sights congregate, but visit
Hampstead Heath or the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to flee
the crowds and frolic in wide open green expanses. You can
also venture further out to Kew Gardens, Richmond or Hampton
Court Palace for beautiful panoramas of riverside London
followed by a pint in a quiet waterside pub.

Travelling To & From London

Public transportation is inexpensive and easily accessible
throughout London. When travelling to ICETM 2020, please
consider the following options:
By Air
London has six major airports: London City, London Gatwick,
London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted and London
Southend.
London Heathrow and City airports are directly connected to
the Tube network. With 190,000 passengers arriving and
departing every day, Heathrow handles more international
passengers than any other airport in the world. Heathrow
Airport is located west of central London and with the
Heathrow Express from London Paddington it takes you 15 to
20 minutes to travel between the airport and central London.
London Gatwick (LGW) is the most efficient single-runway
airport in the world, serving 200 destinations in 90
countries for 35 million customers a year. Gatwick Airport
(LGW) is located south of London and the Gatwick Express is
the fastest way into central London, taking 30 minutes to
London Victoria Station.

By Taxi
There are usually taxis queuing for customers at London's
airports. Only use a black cab or reputable minicab and
never use unauthorised drivers. The official Gatwick taxi
concession is Airport Cars Gatwick. You can ask the driver
for an estimate of how much your journey will cost
beforehand. If you'd prefer to drive along the roads of
Central London yourself, then you can hire a car at the
airport.

By Tube
The Underground is divided into nine zones: central London
is covered by Zone 1. Oyster or contact less payments are
the cheapest ways to pay for single fares. Tube services
usually run from 5am until midnight, with Night Tube
services on some lines on Friday and Saturday evenings. If
you are travelling to or from Heathrow Airport, you can use
your Oyster card and take the Tube. Heathrow is on the
Piccadilly line and it takes just under an hour from Zone 1
stations.

Important Travel Information

Travel Tips
Pick up an Oyster Visitor Card, an electronic smartcard to easily use the Tube,
buses, DLR, the London Overground, and most National Rail services in the city.

UK Currency
When visiting London, it is helpful to know a bit about UK currency and how it
works. The UK currency is the pound sterling (£/GBP). There are 100 pennies, or
pence, to the pound. It is customary to leave 10-15% of the bill as tip when
eating out or when taking a taxi.

Get Your Travel Wish List Ready
There are so many attractions and things to do, no matter your daily travel
budget.